Randolph, MA (January 31, 2003) -- Dunkin' Donuts celebrates the news from the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives naming the Boston Cream donut as the Official Donut of the Commonwealth.

The hard work and persistence of Somerville resident Emma Krane and her classmates finally paid off on New Year's Day 2003 when then-acting Governor Jane Swift signed an act designating the Boston Cream Donut as the official donut of the Commonwealth into law.

The students and Senator Charles Shannon (D-Winchester) began petitioning to have the Boston Cream donut be named the state's official donut back in 1997 when Krane and classmates were students at Brown Elementary School in Somerville.

Dunkin' Donuts sells it's "Boston Kreme," a yeast donut with a creamy vanilla center topped with a rich chocolate frosting, in approximately 800 shops in Massachusetts.

"We at Dunkin' Donuts congratulate the students on their dedication and perseverance to ensure that this bill was passed. We are also thankful that we have legislators, such as Senator Shannon, who are committed to helping children learn about the legislative process," says Judy Wnek, Dunkin' Donuts Donut Category Manager. "The Boston Cream is the nation's favorite donut and by virtue of its name is a great choice for the Official Donut of the Commonwealth".

Dunkin' Donuts is the largest coffee and baked good retailer in the world with 5,000 combined locations in the United States and 37 countries around the world. Dunkin' Donuts, Inc. is based in Randolph, Mass., and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allied Domecq PLC.